


Fluffy Love

by Amelia Abernathy (authr2b)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, F/F, F/M, Fluff, German Eren Yeager, M/M, Multi, Rating May Change, Shapeshifting, Warnings May Change, Were-Creatures, characters will be tagged as they appear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 11:26:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6327124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/authr2b/pseuds/Amelia%20Abernathy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren Yeager came to America thinking he could make a better life for his widowed mother in Germany. But nothing worked out like it should have. Thanks to a Monster exclusive dating website, he finds someone who wasn't a great match but might be his key to getting his life back together. However, both he and the website underestimated how much this man could change his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Message

**Author's Note:**

> A while back Marsha and I came up with a Hobo Eren that would occasionally clash with Jean. I can't remember exactly what we had planned for him back in August, but eventually Hobo Eren the supernatural being turned into Hobo Eren the trashy art student that we put in Hobo Chic. And about a week ago we began talking about a monster AU and decided it was the perfect time to bring back the original Hobo Eren. 
> 
> We both had different ideas based around the same Hobo, so we decided to both do our own works. She'll be posting her version soon so keep an eye out for it if you enjoy this one!

Eren ignored the looks that random people gave him as they passed by a homeless dude with a smart phone. He couldn’t really blame them, it did look as if he was spending all his money on a fancy phone and data when really it belonged to his friend who was currently working. Occasionally some conservative dickbag would give him a lecture about piggy backing the system or some shit, but he would just flash his extremely pointed incisors at them and they’d run off. 

He had a pretty good arrangement with a couple that worked in the buildings nearby. They would let him borrow their phones while they worked and he got to keep in contact with his mom back in Germany, and he made them look good because their bosses who thought that they were so dedicated that they never even got on their phones during breaks. Everyone won.

Eren may not be allowed to live in most apartments because he was a Monster that turned into an animal that well exceeded the pet weight limit. 

His cat Cedric padded up next to where he sat and crawled into his lap while he waited for the dating app to redownload. Jean kept deleting it off of his phone even though Eren had asked multiple times and it didn't take up much space. But for whatever reason he thought that if his fiancee saw it she’d flip. But Mikasa had gladly let him keep the app on her phone as well. 

It finally finished downloaded and he logged back in. He was happy to find a dating site that catered to Monsters like him and was totally free. The developers had probably been in a similar position as him and knew that many couldn’t afford to pay a monthly fee to find someone that would accept them. 

“Hey dork.” A woman said from a car. He glanced up to see Mikasa smiling at him, her long hair piled up to hide the pointed ears that sat higher up on her head. 

“Hey. Can you talk to your damn husband-to-be about keeping the one app I ask for?” He asked. Mika rolled her eyes as she walked over. 

“I’ve tried. Maybe if you weren’t in the LGBT section of MonstersOnly then maybe he wouldn’t freak so much.” She joked. 

“Not like anyone’s going to look at it.” He pointed out, scratching Cedric’s head as she crouched down next to him. “And the profile picture is of me and my photo-bombing cat so nobody would mistake us.” Mikasa shrugged. 

“He has a fragile ego, just humour him.” She tapped his phone. “I took the liberty of looking through some of your matches earlier and I found a cutie I think you might like.” He groaned. 

“For christ’s sake, if I wanted someone I knew to hook me up I would be back in Germany and going on date with people my mother approved of.” He replied. Mikasa snatched the phone out of his hand and looked for the match. 

“Get over it. You’re using our data so I think I get to pry into the app that has been sitting silently on my phone for four months.” She said, flipping the phone back around. “I know this one, he comes into the store every so often to get dog supplies for his pup.” Eren took the phone back and looked at the picture of a younger ShapeShifter holding a small tan puppy. 

“Okay, he’s cute, but according to this we aren’t a great match.” 

“Cause he turns into a giant cat. He owns his own house Eren, meaning you could get off the street if he likes you. Even if you don’t get together maybe he’ll rent out a room to you, it could help. Someone that understands-” 

“If it were so easy as finding a Monster friend that could loan me a room then I would be paying utilities with you two and I’d have my own phone.” He snapped. 

“Okay, first of all, our landlord doesn’t like dogs, second we’re going to be needing that extra room soon.” She explained. 

“Congrats. But the point remains. It’s not as easy as finding a friend with a house.” He looked back through the profile. “Fuck, he’s twenty five and he’s got a house? The fuck does he do?” 

“He’s a game developer. But he inherited the house from his grandfather.” Mikasa shrugged. “I think it just adds to his charm.” 

“Fine.” Eren groaned. “I’ll message him about it.” Mikasa smiled at him. 

“Atta boy. Let me know how it goes.” She said, getting back on her feet. 

“Don’t tell me you drove all the way over here just to convince me to date this dude.” 

“No, I have errands to run before my shift starts.” She replied. “See you later. Have fun talking to your new boyfriend.” She waved goodbye as she walked away. He rolled his eyes and looked back down at the profile. 

“Yeah, why not.” He muttered, hitting the message button.


	2. Full Moon

Armin looked up as his phone began to jingle. His puppy Mina began barking at the sound, her little curled tail bobbing with each sound. It made him smile. He picked up the phone and his heart flipped seeing the notification. 

He’d joined the dating website because his friend hadn’t wanted to be the only one joining, he had never expected to actually have someone reach out to him. He looked down at Mina, who had cocked her head quizzically. 

“Okay, come here.” He muttered. She hopped over and balanced herself onto her back paws and put her forepaws on his calf. He reached down and pulled her into the lap before reading the message. 

“Hi, I’m sorry if this sounds weird but this is the first time I’ve actually messaged anyone. My friend was snooping on my profile and pointed you out to me and I thought I’d go for it. I really don’t know what to say, I’m sorry.” 

Armin smiled at the message and clicked onto the profile. The first picture showed an man with shoulder length shaggy brown hair and a close cropped beard, with a long haired cat crawling over his shoulder making him laugh. 

“He looks kinda shabby,” Armin said to Mina, “But, his eyes are really kind.” He finished, looking at the man’s green eyes. “What do you think I should do?” He asked into Mina’s fluffy coat. 

She pawed at the screen and managed to pull up the message screen. 

“Okay, fair enough.” He laughed. 

 

Cedric padded along in front of Eren while they walked to Jean and Mikasa’s house. The full moon was coming up and he needed to stow his things at their house before night fell otherwise they would get stolen. 

Mikasa was in the front watering the the flower beds and talking on her phone when he got there. She smiled at him and motioned for him to go on inside. 

“Yeah, bye mom. I’ll talk to you later.” She hung up and turned to him. “Before you leave for the night, you got a message back from that Armin dude.” She tossed him her phone and he caught it 

“Thanks. I’ll let him know not to message again until tomorrow so you don’t have to worry about it again.” 

“Sounds good. If you need help wording a message let me know.” He waved at her and went into the house. 

“That was definitely not the most romantic message that I’ve gotten, but it wasn’t the worst message I’ve gotten either. It says you’re local so maybe I can meet you in person sometime soon. Your profile doesn’t say what kind of monster you are? And what’s your cat’s name?” He read aloud as he moved into the spare room.

“Well, hard to explain that one.” Eren muttered. Cedric jumped onto the bed and mewed at him. “Bet he’ll ditch when I say I’m homeless and unemployed.” He grumbled, tossing his bag onto the chair in the corner. 

“I’m a were-creature that turns into a freaking giant dog. Why couldn’t I be a wolf? Those are at least a little badass.” He rummaged around in his bag and pulled out a large collar with tags. “But no, I have to turn into a bear dog and wear this so I don’t get penned up at the pound. It’s freaking annoying.” He took off his patched up jacket and threw it onto the chair, slipping the collar over his head. “At least the tags are under Mikasa’s name and not Jean’s.” 

Cedric mewed again. Eren looked down at the message for a minute before looking at his cat. “So, you going to stay behind with Mikasa or are you going to come with me this time?” He asked. Cedric hopped off of his perch, padded over to Eren, and started nuzzling his leg. “Thanks bud.” He said with a smile. 

He typed out a quick reply and an apology for not being able to talk through the night. 

 

A few hours later Eren padded through the town as an overlarge Leonberger dog. According to the guy that had originally bitten him when he’d come to the states, there was something in a person’s DNA that determined what kind of creature they turned into. And apparently whatever was in him said that he needed to be a sweet looking giant dog. 

His first full moon he was almost caught by animal control, but Jean had known he was a were on sight and told them that Eren was his lost dog and took him away before they had an embarrassing predicament the next morning when Eren was forced out of his dog form. 

Jean took him back to the house where a red panda was curled up on an armchair. The next morning he turned human, keeping a semblance of the claws and teeth, and the red panda turned into Mikasa. 

It was her idea to put him in a collar with tags that would bring him back to their house. 

“Were-Creatures need to stick together. No matter where we’re from.” She told him with a smile. It made him feel a little bit better about his situation. Ever since Mikasa and Jean had helped him out as much as they could, but weren’t able to get him a job. But Eren was convinced that Jean wasn’t trying as hard as Mikasa. 

He still didn’t quite trust Elves because of him. 

He and Cedric passed by a yard where a blond man was waiting outside with a puppy on a leash. As they passed, the puppy perked up and barked at him. He internally smiled and replied with a soft woof. The man laughed as the puppy started jumping towards him, only to be yanked back by the natural tension of the leash. He walked towards Eren so that the puppy could interact with him. Eren trotted over to close the distance for the tiny pup. 

She yipped at him and ran around his feet. After playing with her for a little while, he realized that she was a Were-Pup. He had a feeling that her owner didn’t realize this, and made a note to ask Mikasa’s aunt about it. 

A few minutes into play, the puppy began to get tired. Her owner picked her up and pet Eren. 

“Good bo- Oh shit, I’m sorry, I just realized you’re a Monster. I’m sorry. That was almost embarrassing.” He gave a sweet laugh, withdrawing his hand. Eren chuffed a laugh, and the man turned red a little bit. Then the face of the man clicked as the person he’d begun messaging. 

That would be an interesting conversation for the next day. He gave a cheerful bark as a farewell and trotted off.


	3. Puppy Troubles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while since the last update. School crap and my puppy have been dominating my time.

Eren made it back to the house just before sunrise and pawed at the door. After a moment Jean groggily opened the door and let him in, coffee cup in hand. “Might as well help yourself to coffee once you’re human. I made enough for me and Mika but she can’t have any right now so there’s extra.” He said, motioning to the pot. Eren bobbed his head and walked to the spare room to get his things. 

He heard a faint noise from the couch which he assumed was Mikasa saying hello. 

About ten minutes later the sun began to rise and he turned human again. 

“I wish you’d finished the coffee before I turned back. God I wish I wasn’t pregnant.” Mikasa groaned from the living room. 

“Sorry, but if I tried to drain all that before sunrise then I’m pretty sure my intestines would explode.” Jean replied. 

“Ugh.” she groaned, walking back down the hall. Eren was pulling on his shirt when something hit him in the back. 

“That dude messaged you back just after sundown.” She told him on her way back to her room. “If you want you can stay here while Jean’s at work and talk to him.” 

“Thanks, I will.” He replied. Cedric mewed at him. “Dude, neither of us has eaten, shut up and wait a minute.” Cedric gave him a murderous look before running off into the hall. Eren picked up the phone and logged into the app to check the message. 

“You said you were a Leonberger, a rather large one came by and played with my dog a little bit ago and there was a cat nearby. Was that you? It’s not a usual thing to find cats and dogs hanging out.” Eren laughed and typed out a reply, opting to leave out the fact that the puppy was a Were. 

He sent it and walked into the main part of the house to get some coffee. Jean was trying to hide the points of his ear under hi hair. 

“Do you know where Mikasa’s aunt lives? I need to talk to her about a Were-Pup I saw last night.” Eren asked, pouring coffee. 

“Edge of town, near the interstate that leads to Virginia.” Jean replied. “Huge piece of land, she bought it so that she could raise Levi in peace.” 

“So, how long would it take to get there on foot?” Eren asked. “Or as a dog?” 

“Most of the day. But even if you got there you may not see her.” He said. “She adopted a couple of Monster kids awhile back and she’s really protective of them. She locks up the big gates to her property while they’re all home, and prowls the perimeter at night.” 

“Why?” Eren asked, “That seems a bit excessive.” Jean gave him a sad smile. 

“Someone killed Levi’s dad during the full moon to take his leopard skin. Levi was still a baby and Kuchel freaked. She bought the property to protect him and keep him away from people that might hurt him.” Jean explained. “And even after he learned how to fight and protect himself she kept the mentality. The little girl she adopted is a Fairy. If she got kidnapped then she’d either be killed and parts of her would be sold, or she would be sold alive for her magic. And the older boy is an Elf. You know the shit that I have to deal with when people find out so imagine that poor kid.” Eren nodded 

“So, can I call her? I need to talk to her about this pup.” 

“Nah, she doesn’t do phones. She keeps the retractable claws in human form and accidentally wrecked her brother’s first phone with them. She doesn’t even keep a landline. If you want to talk to her you’ll have to wait for her to come into town.” Jean finished. 

“Fuck.” Eren groaned. 

“Do you think you can ask Levi about it? He moved back into town last week with his girlfriend so maybe he can help.” 

“I don’t know. I’ll see about it.” Eren said. “Where do they live now?” 

“Not far from where you usually stay. There’s that old bookstore with a couple of lofts that the crazy Were-Dog owns, they’re living on the top floor.” 

“Hange’s place?” He asked. 

“Yeah, that’s their name. Apparently Levi’s an old friend of theirs and when he asked for a place to stay while his girlfriend gets her music career up and running they offered him the extra loft.” Eren stared at Jean. 

“I didn’t realize it was up for rent. Fucking hell, I could have stayed there! They’re just as big as me when they turn!” He yelled angrily. 

“Knowing Hange, it probably slipped their mind that they could do that.” Jean said with a shrug. “Well, it’s time for me to get to work. I’ll see you around.” Eren raised his hand as Jean left the kitchen. He heard Mikasa talking to him the living room and refilled his cup. 

Cedric stared at him from the counter where an empty can of tuna sat in front of him. 

“Hey, if you know anything feel free to chime in.” He said. “I want to find out how to help her.” Cedric kicked the can towards him. “I don’t know where they keep their tuna. Wait for Mikasa to come in.” Cedric gave an angry sound and curled up. 

Mikasa came in a minute later. “Jean mentioned something about a puppy?” She asked him. 

“Yeah. But she’s always in pup form so I don’t know how that’s supposed to work.” Mikasa rolled her eyes. 

“You could have asked me.” She pointed out, sitting down in front of him. “There are twenty nine days in a lunar cycle, which means that there are twenty eight where you’re a human and one where you’re an animal. Most Were-Mothers give birth in human form and give birth to their child in their human form. But occasionally they give birth during the full moon when they’re an animal and the baby- or litter depending on their species- are born as animals. 

“The babies won’t shift back until they’re the equivalent of a two year old. Then the first full moon after that they shift into a human toddler and start the cycle.” Mikasa ran her fingers through her hair. “My Uncle said he heard of a Were couple that had a litter on the full moon and gave all but one to a rescue mission claiming they’d found them abandoned. The humans weren’t aware that they were the people’s actual kids so they took them and gave them out after getting them old enough.” 

“What happened to the couple?” Eren asked. 

“The mother’s pack leader found out and quite literally tore into them. They’re working right now to find all the remaining pups so that they can get into Were homes before their first shift. Otherwise there will be a whole lot of freaked out humans.” She answered, stirring her coffee. “Though if this pup is part of that litter, she’ll be fine in the hands of another Monster.” Eren shuddered. 

“Should I tell him when I message him again?” 

“It might be a good idea. That way if he doesn’t want to deal with a kid toddling around he has time to find it a home with someone who will. My Aunt would probably take her in if he can’t find someone before the next full moon.” She stretched her arms as the phone buzzed again. Eren looked at it. “Is it him?” Mikasa asked.

He opened the message and grinned. “Yeah, it’s his reaction to finding out he saw me last night.” 

“Good or bad?” 

“He said I was cute so take that as you will.” Mikasa snorted. 

“Well, he hasn’t said the same about your human form so maybe he would prefer you stay as a dog.” She snickered. Eren rolled his eyes and typed out a message regarding the pup.


	4. Stray Pups

Armin’s phone went off while he was trying to get Mina in her crate. She dashed off into the house while he was busy reaching for his phone and he said a small prayer that she wouldn’t decide to use the bathroom wherever she hid. 

“So, on the topic of last night, I noticed that your dog- I can’t remember her name off the top of my head- isn’t a normal pup. She’s a Were-something and next full moon she’ll make her first shift into a human. If you want to keep her that’s great, but if not there’s a Were-Panther that might be willing to take her in. Just let me know and I’ll get her niece to talk to her about it.” 

Armin blinked a few times before running to find Mina, who was busy chewing on a tennis ball that had rolled into the corner. He picked her up and looked into her brown eyes. 

“How come you never told me you were a Monster too?” He asked rhetorically. “It would have been nice to know you little turd.” She tilted her head to the side as he carried her back to the crate. 

He put her in and quickly closed the door and she started whining. “Well I can’t have you roaming the house and making me go on a search and find for accidents.” 

She kept whining as he sent a quick thank you to Eren, and asked him what he should do about keeping her as a human. 

 

“Aw, puppy days getting to you?” Krista asked from the other side of their shared office. 

“Yeah. If you could call them that.” He explained the situation to her and allowed her to process the information while he booted up his computer. 

“So, how did you find out?” She asked. 

“A guy I met online happened to pass by and recognize us last night.” 

“That’s not creepy at all.” 

“Blame yourself if you think it’s creepy. I met him through your dating site.” He replied. He heard her snap her chair around. 

“What? I haven’t seen a single person on there that i’ve wanted to date and in a few days you’ve already begun seeing someone?” She demanded. 

“I wouldn’t say it like that. We’re just talking for now.” 

“So what is he?” Sh asked, rolling over to his side of the room. 

“Were-Dog. He turns into this huge Leonberger dog.” 

“Ooooh, does that mean he’s well endowed?” She asked. 

“No,” he replied, meeting her blue slit eyes, “Well, maybe? I haven’t really met him in person yet. Or as a person. Either way he messaged me this morning and said Mina’s a Were and he’s going to help me find out how to keep her once she shifts into a human.” 

“Aw, Daddy Armin. I bet potty training a kid is way easier than potty training a puppy.” She giggled. “But seriously, what’s this guy like? Is he hot? Is he sweet? Rough around the edges?” 

Armin sighed and pulled out his phone so that she could look over his profile. 

“Oh, oh my goodness.” She said after a moment. “Sweetie, did you know this guy’s homeless?” She asked. Armin frowned and looked at her. 

“What?” 

“Yeah, he sticks around downtown. I’ve seen him near that one cafe on Nineteenth street a lot.” She replied sadly. “I’d suggest keeping an eye on him. He may just be looking for handouts so he can get on his feet. I mean, he’s a nice guy, I’ve had a few conversations with him, but he knows you have your own place so he might try and mooch off of you.” 

“Wow, the snake lady is warning me about a stray dog.” He said dryly.” She shrugged her scaled shoulders. 

“Listen. It’s your choice, but if he leaves once he gets on his feet then don’t say I didn’t tell you so.” She said, pushing away from his desk. 

Armin held his hand out. “Can I have my phone back?” He asked. It plopped into his hand a moment later. “Thank you.” 

Once she turned her back he checked a message that came in from Eren, assuring him he’d do what he could to find out.


	5. Conversation

Armin: He, listen, I don’t mean to pry but are you really homeless? The friend that got me on here insisted on seeing your profile and she said that she’s seen you living on the streets.

Eren: Yeah. I would have told you but there wasn’t really a good time to say it without looking pathetic.

Armin: I understand, but why are you on a dating site? Shouldn’t you be worried about getting something to eat? 

Eren: A) I’m on a dating website so that I can tell my mother that I’m looking, B) I’m on a dating website because even Monsters won’t give me the time of day if they know I’m homeless so it’s a decent way to make friends, C) I know a barista that gives me day old pastries when she can get her hands on them and occasionally invites me over to her place for a real meal. Thanks for your concern but I’m fine. 

Armin: Does your mother know you’re homeless? 

Eren: Hell no. 

Armin: How do you talk to her?

Eren: Cite aforementioned barista. I borrow her phone while she’s working so that my mother can believe I’m doing okay.

Armin: How do you manage that? Most moms find out through a grapevine. 

Eren: Cause she’s back in Germany. She doesn’t know anyone over here. 

Armin: Nice. 

Eren: Isn’t it? I feel bad but she’d worry and make me go home if she knew. And then she’d freak out more at the full moon. 

Armin: Wow, how much are you hiding from her? 

Eren: Just those couple of things. If she found out I turned into a homeless dog every full moon she’d flip out. 

Armin: I would too if my kid was in that position. 

Eren: Exactly. That’s why I don’t tell her. She has enough to worry about as is. 

Armin: Just saying, your english is really good for an immigrant. 

Eren: The marvels of Duolingo my friend. God knows my high school English class did nothing to help with that. 

Armin: I know that feel. 

 

~2 hrs later 

Armin: I know that this is really sudden but would you like to stay with me for a while? You’d have to do housework to pay for everything until you get a job and watch Mina for me while I’m at work but It’s an option. 

Eren: I’ll gladly take the babysitting gig, but I’m actually pretty comfortable. If the weather gets crap I normally sleep on the floor at my friend’s place. 

Armin: So you’re okay being homeless? 

Eren: No, I’d just feel uncomfortable staying in your big ass house. Though if you don’t mind I might stay over on full moons. Get Mina accustomed to it and I won’t have to deal with wearing that damn collar so I won’t get taken to the pound. 

Armin: That’s actually a problem? 

Eren: Yeah, I was talking to a Fairy that works for the humane society and they didn’t realize that they’d taken in a Were until he turned into a naked dude the next morning. 

Armin: That must have been awkward. 

Eren: Well, apparently she liked what she saw. They got married a year later. 

Armin: Well that’s a story to tell their kids. 

Eren: Yeah, and the best part is that there are plenty of pictures and newspaper articles to prove it in case their kids don’t believe them.

Armin: Those poor kids. 

 

~After work

Armin: So how did you get turned if it’s not to nosy or painful.

Eren: Some asshole Were-Hyena bit me after I’d been on the continent for five fucking minutes. 

Armin: You know, you could probably make a case against him and win some money in court. People see forced lycanthropy as equal to rape now since it seriously fucks up their lives. 

Eren: That would work if I knew the bastard’s name. He bit me, ran off, and found me again the next full moon to teach me how to deal with this shit because he was literally forced to by Were law. 

Armin: Classy move. But Were-Hyenas must be pretty rare on this continent. I’m sure it wouldn’t be to hard to find him. 

Eren: Maybe, but you need money to do that. And I’m not about to ask people for money when I’m dealing alright. When I find the bastard I’ll report him to the nearest Pack and have them bring him in. 

Armin: Okay, hopefully that’s soon. 

Eren: Honestly I hope the asshole’s dead. That way he can’t ruin anyone else’s life. 

Eren: Now that you've asked, what kind of Monster are you?

Armin: Shapeshifter. I don't shift over much anymore though. I did it a little too much when I was a kid cause I thought I was cool but now I'm stuck with the eyes and claws. I'm just glad the never tail never had time to develop. 

Eren: The pains of shifting into an animal. 

Armin: What do you keep? 

Eren: Nails and incisors. And the senses. Though I like those. 

Armin: Lucky. 

Eren: What do you shift into?

Armin: Ever see a snow leopard?

Eren: HOLY SHIT THAT’S AWESOME!!!

Armin: I've never seen someone so excited about that.

Eren: But they're so rare! 

Armin: And that's why I don't shift. I got attacked just before graduation by someone who wanted to sell my coat. 

Eren: Yikes. 

Armin: Yeah. Humans suck. 

Eren: I agree. The only reason I'm homeless right now is because humans thought I was a liability. 

Armin: That's bullshit. 

Eren: It is, but I guess it's just karma for being one of the people that was scared of us before I was turned. 

Armin: Pretty shitty payback.

Eren: You're telling me. Fleas are a fucking bitch.


	6. First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long ass delay between chapters. A bunch of stuff happened and I just couldn't keep up with updates.

They continued to talk on a regular basis until eventually they decided that they’d put off meeting in person far too long. 

They planned to meet up the day of the full moon so that Eren could stay through the night and be there when Mina finished shifting over and help her assimilate, so before Armin left work he began checking his appearance in the webcam on his computer. 

“Sooooo,” Krista hissed from the other side of the room, “You’re rather image conscious today. Hot date?” She asked 

“Hardly.” Armin replied, trying to hide his embarrassment. “He’s going to be turning into a giant dog in a couple of hours.” 

“Still…” She pushed over to him and caught his eyes. “C’mon. When are you going to get serious with this guy? I’ve been able to feel every time he sends you a message because you get super excited. Maybe not tonight, but some night you need to take this shit to the next level.” 

“I don’t think he’s ready to move it forward.” He muttered sadly. 

“I’m sure he is. He may claim that he’s only on there to make friends, but there are online forums for that. And there are a bunch for our area that most of the Monster population is on. He’s on there hoping to find someone, he just wants to seem casual about it.” She gave his hand a light squeeze. “Make a move, it’ll pay off.” 

“You think so?” Armin asked, slightly uplifted by her words. 

“You’re higher up on the food chain than I am,” she sighed, “I don’t lie to people higher up on the food chain.” 

“Good to know.” He laughed. “I’ll think about making a move soon.” She nodded as he began to shut down his equipment. 

“Good. Let me know if you need any help in making the move. I’ve got loads of experience in that shit.” 

“You’re resorting to a dating site so I don’t think that your help is very valuable.” Armin grumbled, picking his backpack up. “See you tomorrow.” He ignored her glare and walked out the door. 

 

Mikasa came out to collect her phone a few minutes before Eren was supposed to meet up with Armin. “Nervous?” She asked. 

“What gives you that idea?” Eren asked. 

“If one were to look at your foot right now they’d think you were a Were-Rabbit instead of a Were-Dog.” She pointed down and he made an effort to stop his nervous tapping. “Chill, if he’s kept talking to you then I doubt he’s got a problem with you being a hobo.” She told him, tucking her phone into her pocket. 

“That’s not what i’m worried about.” He sighed. 

“Oooohhhhhh,” she grinned at him, “Developped a little crush have we?” 

“Shove it panda.” He grunted. 

“Awwww, how cute! You went on a dating website to look for a friend and you found more! I’m pretty sure you’re living a romance novel right now.” 

“Will you shut up?” 

“Nope. But since you need to go meet him soon I’ll head off.” Mikasa winked at him before slipping into the back room of her workplace. ERen stood up and started walking in the direction that he knew Armin’s house was. Cedric followed along behind him and kept meowing his support, at least that’s how Eren took it. 

A car passed him as he turned onto the right road, and he got a whiff of the puppy smell he remembered from the month before. He sped up, hoping to catch Armin while he was still outside. Armin however went inside while he was still walking, and Eren started grumbling. It wasn’t like it was super embarrassing to knock on the door, but their introduction would have been quite a bit smoother if he’d stayed on the damn lawn. 

Right as he turned onto the lawn of the house, the door opened again and Armin came out with Mina on a leash. “Oh, hi!” Armin said, fairly shocked. Eren smiled. 

“Hi, nice to see you again.” He said as Armin’s cheeks grew a touch brighter. 

“Well, you saw me, not the other way round.” Armin babbled, “So it’s nice to finally see you without the dog stuff.” Eren grinned and nodded. Mina strained at the end of her leash so that she could say hi to Eren as well. 

“Thanks for agreeing to do this.” Armin said, walking closer so that Mina could go up to Eren for pets. 

“My pleasure, I haven’t really been able to stay in a house during the full moon before so it’s a good deal for me.” Eren replied, squatting down to give the tiny pup a belly rub. 

“I got some canned food for your cat, if he eats it.” Armin amended quickly. “I can run to the store later and get what he does eat.” Eren shrugged. 

“He’ll eat damn near anything. He prefers tuna but he’ll eat the cat food if that’s what’s given to him. But just a warning, he’s polished off three cans of tuna in a row so you may run out.” Armin laughed.

“Well, if he lives on the streets most of the time, maybe he’s just stocking up.” Armin suggested. 

“Probably.” Eren said, standing up again, “I tell you what, you’re going to have a hard time getting her to eat dog food on the full moon once you introduce her to Captain Crunch.” Armin laughed, which made Eren smile again. 

“Yeah, I expect I would. Come on in, it doesn’t look like she’s going to pee anytime soon.” Armin said, picking her up. Eren followed Armin inside with Cedric running across to the porch to wait for them. 

“There’s no way he’s not a monster. Too smart.” Armin said softly. 

“Yeah, he pisses me off sometimes with how intelligently he acts.” Eren said, “But everyone i know says he’s definitely a normal cat.” Armin walked past with Mina peering around to get a look at Cedric. 

“I got some of those pull-up things,” Armin started, “And some cheap clothes in what the lady said was a usual size for a two year old, hopefully they’ll fit her when she shifts.” 

“So you’re really intent on keeping her?” Eren asked. Armin shrugged. 

“I’ve gotten attached to her. Plus I don’t like living without a pet in the house.” Armin replied, “Gives me a peace of mind whenever shit gets creepy.” 

“How long have you been living alone?” Eren asked. 

“Little under a year. I know this house like the back of my hand, but it still gets creepy some nights when it’s super windy and you can hear it.” Armin said with a shudder. “Especially after you’ve been doing nothing but testing horror games all day.” Eren laughed at that. 

“So you chose a two pound pup to protect you from the chick from the ring?” Eren asked. Armin laughed. 

“Well when you put it that way.” He replied, setting said puppy down on the ground. 

“So you’re going to be okay without a dog in the house with you and a two year old?” Eren asked. Armin blanched. 

“Mother fucker,” he groaned, “I didn’t think about that.” Eren gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. 

“I can loan you Cedric until you find another dog.” Eren offered. A hiss from the counter countered his statement, and Armin laughed again. 

“I’ll just go around to the shelters tomorrow.” He said, after a moment he looked up at Eren. “You sure I couldn’t bribe the leonberger to stay here a while?” He asked. 

Eren looked at his feet, “I really wouldn't want to impose.” He said, “I don’t know how easy it’ll be for me to get a job and be able to pay rent or anything.” 

“Well, peace of mind, and I don’t have to drive around the shelters again looking for a family friendly dog.” Armin said. They stood in an awkward silence for a while before Eren caved. 

“Yeah, okay.” He sighed, Armin’s face lit up with a smile. 

“Thanks.” Eren nodded and Cedric mewed loudly and ran over to the door. 

“Dude, you peed like ten minutes ago.” Eren reminded him. Cedric looked at him and mewed even louder. 

“I’ll let him out.” Armin said, happy that he’d convinced Eren to stay. “My bedroom’s at the end of that hall there, and the bigger of the two spares is on the right going down. I’ll put Mina in the other one, assuming she doesn't try to keep sleeping on the pillow next to me.” 

“You let her sleep on the bed with you when she wasn’t trained?” Eren asked. Armin nodded as he opened the door for Cedric.

“I have little training bands that i put on her before we go to bed for the night.” He explained, “she normally woke me up if she needed me to take her out.” Eren nodded and took off his backpack, which Armin eyed. 

“So, how much stuff did you come over with?” Armin asked. ERen gave him a bitter smile. 

“I had a suitcase with clothes and a couple other things. This backpack was my carry on. I was able to keep a hotel room for a bit, but I ended up having to sell my books and some of my clothes when I ran out of money.” 

“And you never asked your mom for help.” Armin asked. Eren shook his head. 

“She has enough to live comfortably, but if she sends me any then she’ll start struggling, and that’s the last thing I need.” He replied. 

“Were the books special to you?” Armin asked. 

“Nah, paperback copies I’d picked up to keep me entertained while I looked for a steady place. Mom’s got the rest of my stuff pending me either giving up to go home, or finding something stable.” Eren said to sooth Armin’s nerves. And then it got awkward again. 

“I’ll go put my stuff in the back.” Eren said after a bit, happy for an excuse to slip out. Once he left Armin took a deep breath and mentally slapped himself for asking such stupid questions. 

 

Nightfall came and Eren, who had come out for an early dinner, excused himself so that Armin didn’t have to watch his shift. Of course the main thing that was if Eren wanted to keep his clothes in one piece then he’d have to get naked, and he wasn’t stripping in front of Armin. 

The change happened and he padded out, happy he didn’t have to wear the tags tucked in his backpack. Mina woke up from her nap and started barking at him. Armin left her in his hands for a while so that he could get more food for Cedric. He taught Mina how to play with the rope that was lying on the floor, and then he had to teach her how some puppy manners. If she was going to be joining a pack at any point, she’d need to know. 

Armin got back and found Eren trying to figure out how to turn on the tv as a dog with Mina watching curiously. 

“Oh shit, I probably should have taken care of that before I left.” Armin apologized as he turned on the tv to the science channel, which was having a mythbusters marathon. Eren plunked down, and wondered if this was how regular house dogs felt when they were left alone. 

Armin fed Mina one last doggy meal, and opened another can of food for cedric, who’d been pawing at one for a bit. While they ate he plopped down at a computer against the wall and began opening up various programs. Eren got up and padded over to sit behind Armin and see what he was doing. 

Armin pulled up what looked like a title screen to the game, turned up the volume on his computer and began playing. He was on edge the whole time, and would jump violently at every bad sound. Occasionally he would take notes on this that or the other, but he mostly just kept looking intensely at the screen. 

After a little bit the music started to grow eery and Armin grew more tense, and when the music hit the climax, he let out a quick “wroof” making Armin scream and fall out of his chair. Eren’s tail started to wag as he watched Armin take deep breaths to calm himself while still on the floor. 

“Not cool, ERen.” He gasped after a while, Eren boofed at him and walked over to play with Mina, who had just woken up from a quick nap.


	7. Pup-Child

Eren slept in the living room with Mina through the night, with the Mythbusters marathon still going on the tv. He was able to get up and leave just before sunrise without waking up the pup, and padded into his new room to change with the shift. Thankfully the change didn’t hurt so Mina would probably sleep right through it, she’d had a serious play session at four so she wouldn’t be up for a while. 

He realised he hadn’t texted his mom in a few hours, and she would be getting worried. If he was staying with Armin permanently to watch Mina, he’d be able to use Armin’s computer and facebook or whatever. But he really needed to get back to Jean or Mikasa so that he could explain the situation. 

The sun rose and he turned back into him, and slipped into some clothes. He came out and knocked on Armin’s door to get him up, she needed to see a familiar face. Armin came out in his boxers and a tee shirt. 

“Oh, yeah, right.” He yawned. “Do you drink coffee?” He asked, walking towards the kitchen. 

“Yeah. And i could use it. I’m not used to sleeping with a pup.” He replied. They walked into the main area and saw a pale little girl with curly brown hair asleep on the carpet. 

“No need to wake her up yet.” Eren assured Armin. Armin went about making them coffee, and they moved into the living room just as Mina woke up and started to stretch. She tried to get up, and realized that she had weird appendages she’d never had before. She looked up at Armin with sad brown eyes and tried to walk over to him, but started crying when she didn’t know how. 

Armin walked over and picked her up, “It’s okay, it’s okay, don’t worry.” He muttered into her hair. After she calmed down a bit, Eren helped her get into a pull-up and the too-big clothes. The pants wouldn’t stay up, and Armin just shrugged. 

“We’re going to be staying here, right?” He asked. Eren nodded. 

“Let me see if Mikasa’s off, she might can take me to meet her mom so that she can give us some advice, or at least come meet her.” 

“So, do I call the police or what?’ Armin asked as Eren moved to the computer. 

“I would say contact the pack. I can get their number in a second. Technically the guardianship of the pups is their decision. Local government can’t interfere in that.” Armin nodded. 

“Are you part of the pack?” He asked. 

“No, I’ve been pretty nervous of going near their territory, they might think I was trying to take over or something.” Eren replied, waking up the computer and getting on facebook.

Mikasa gave him the number of the pack leader, Mike, and said she’d be by with her aunt later. Apparently Kuchel would freak if she smelled unfamiliar monsters on or near her property.

Mina figured out how her hands worked, and grabbed onto Armin’s shirt while he called the pack. Apparently she recognized Eren’s scent, because when he walked past for more coffee, she reached for him. He gladly took her so that Armin could put some shorts on before Mike arrived. 

He knocked on the door ten minutes later, and Armin let him in. Mina tried to hide in Eren’s shirt, ut failed. 

“Well, I’m glad she’s okay.” Mike sighed, “That’s all of. Them accounted for, thanks for calling.” 

“It’s no problem, how many were there?” 

“Six, technically seven because there was one that the parents kept. We found one at the shelter, tracked down two more after that and got them in the same home as their siblings. And we got two other calls before you from freaked out humans screaming “ _Oh my god my puppy turned into a human! Come get it!_ ” So, do you want to care for her? She seems rather attatched to your boyfriend.” Armin blushed. 

“Eren’s not my boyfriend.” Mike looked at Eren. 

“Then you’re a roommate?” 

“Something to that effect. I noticed she wasn’t a regular dog during the last full moon and volunteered to be here to help her adjust.” Eren explained. Mike’s eyes widened under his bangs. 

“You’re a were?” 

“Yeah, I am.” Mike blinked. 

“What do you turn into?” 

“Leonberger, Big brown and black dog, lots of fur.” 

“I think I’d heard reports of someone like that, but none were listed on the census-”

“I was homeless until we made the arrangement to stay here yesterday.” ERen interrupted. Mike nodded. 

“Well, you’re welcome in the pack if you’d like. And even if you want to stay solo we can help you find a job, unless you want the perpetual babysitting gig.” Mike joked, looking at Mina, “We have a daycare facility she can stay at with her siblings if you want to get a job.” 

“Maybe once she gets used to being human, but thanks.” Eren said, “I wish I’d thought to get up with you sooner.” Mike shrugged. 

“It doesn’t always occur to new weres, but now you know we’re here, so if you need any help, let us know.” 

“Actually,” Eren said as the pack leader turned back to Armin, “If you could keep an eye out for a white fuck that turns into a hyena, that would be fantastic.” Mike nodded. 

“Will do,” He faced Armin again, “I’ll send a lawyer by later and you can sign the adoption papers.” Armin thanked mike for his time and the leader left. 

Armin went into the kitchen to start making breakfast, and they waited for Mikasa to arrive with Kuchel.


	8. Surprise?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay!

Eren played with Isabel, and eventually Mina joined in, having realized how humans play, and he was able to leave them to their own devices. He walked over to where Kuchel and Armin were talking about the shifting community and Mikasa tossed her phone at him. 

“Your mom’s been texting like crazy. Go call her and say that you’ve got to get a new phone or something so you won’t be able to talk until then.” Mikasa said, shooing him off. 

Armin watched as Eren walked into the back hallway and a moment later a conversation in German floated back to them, though none of them understood it. 

“He seems like a sweet kid, it’s a shame he got dragged into such a bad state.” Kuchel said softly. 

“It’s what happens when the were-genes are thrust on you.” Mikasa sighed. Armin sighed. 

“Well, hopefully the pack can sort things out.” He said, “though I don’t know that they realize it hasn’t been taken care of.” 

“Who turned him?” Kuchel asked. 

“He doesn’t know the dude’s name.” Mikasa replied. 

“I think he told me it was a Were- Hyena.” Armin said, wracking his brain. The two women looked at each other. 

“There’s only one in the area.” Mikasa said tentatively, “You don’t think-” 

“We’ll ask when he gets done on the phone. I don’t want to jump to conclusions.” Kuchel said calmly. 

“I’m lost.” Armin said. 

“I think we know the person that turned Eren.” Mikasa said calmly. 

They were all startled by a knock on the door, and Armin rushed over to open it. A short couple slipped in, a dark haired man and a red haired woman, and walked over to greet Kuchel. 

“In town for two months and you can’t even be bothered to say hello to your mom once a week.” Kuchel scolded gently. The two younger children squealed and ran over to give Levi hugs. 

“Sorry mother, I’ve been busy.” He said with a shrug. 

“I’m afraid that one’s on me,” the woman piped up, “I’ve been asking him to help with my youtube stuff and it’s rather time consuming.” 

Armin slipped around them while levi attempted to hug his mother with the kids still clinging to him. 

“So why did we meet here?” Levi asked. 

“I wanted to chat and this young man offered to let us stay here since I’d already come over to look at the little were-pup.” Kuchel said, smiling at Armin. Eren came around the corner and looked over the two newcomers. 

“Oh, good timing,” Mikasa said to Eren, “Boys, this is my cousin Levi and his girlfriend Petra.” The couple nodded, though Petra actually smiled. Eren nodded, but stayed farther back .

“Sweetheart, Mikasa mentioned you were forced to turn, who was it that turned you?” Kuchel asked. Eren shrugged. 

“Some scraggly older guy that turned into a hyena on the full moon. Never caught his name. He looked like a hobo but I think he had a place near here because he bit me and came back for like five minutes to get me accustomed and then left again.” Kuchel, Levi, and Mikasa all turned grim. 

“i knew he was an idiot, but this is crossing the line.” Armin and Eren exchanged confused looks, and then looked to Petra, who was equally confused. 

“Um what?” Eren asked. 

“The person that turned you is my older brother, he’s got a grudge against the world because he got the were-gene instead of the shapeshifting one that I and our other brother received. He’s got a penchant for turning who he can, most of the time it’s people who are curious and then realize that it’s something they’re stuck with. So that’s on them, but turning someone who came here to get on their feet…” Kuchel’s face began to twist. 

“Mom, you’re gonna scare the pup.” Levi said calmly. Kuchel took a deep breath and then looked at her son. 

“Would you be a dear and track down your uncle for me? I’d like to lay into him.” She said with an overly sweet voice. 

“I’ll do what I can.” Levi said. 

“Oh,” Kuchel turned back to Eren, “I’ll make sure he’s able to face the pack’s punishment, but I need to give my big brother a lesson.” 

Both men felt their blood run cold.


End file.
